In Thailand, a close encounter with tigers

It is certainly not routine when one is able to lie down with a tiger, pat it on its head, have a tiger's head on your lap, play with young tigers or to feed a tiger cub with a milk bottle. At the Tiger Temple sanctuary in Thailand, all of this is possible if you have the heart and courage for it.

The Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno Forest Monastery, popularly known as Tiger Temple, in Thailand's Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi province, provides a lifetime experience with the big cats.

Located about 175 km from Thai capital Bangkok on Highway-323, the excitement starts building up from the moment you embark on the three-hour journey. It is when the tigers are before your eyes and one is roaming freely, though quietly, around the big cats that one realises how special the moment is.

With monks, local trainers and staff and several foreign volunteers in attendance, the Tiger Temple offers perhaps the closest and safest encounter with tigers - from one-month-old cubs to those weighing over 250 kg. At present, there are 127 tigers at the monastery - one of the largest group of the big cats at a single place.

As one enters the Tiger Temple gates around noon, one can find several tigers lazing around, being walked around or the younger ones busy in other activities. Alert Thai staff and foreign volunteers not only keep a close eye on the movements of the tigers but also on the scores of visitors who come to the complex daily.

"This is a real close experience with the tigers. I don't think there is a better option available anywhere else," Australian tourist Sara Evans told IANS.

The attendants help visitors to take pictures as the tigers laze around. Visitors are also taken in turns to walk the full-grown tigers and young cubs with a leash for a photo-op. At 1,000 baht (Rs.1,900) per person per activity, one can play with young tigers in one enclosure, feed tiger cubs in another one and get to keep a tiger's head on one's lap.

"One feels scared and excited about the whole experience. You are doing all this with the tigers, even touching them, without any barriers or fences," Tushaar, a 11-year-old visitor from India, told IANS with a degree of awe.

The complex, spread over several acres of natural forested area in western Thailand, not far from the Myanmar border, is home to not only tigers but other wildlife like deers, wild boars, water buffalos and gibbons, among others. The monastery was established in 1994 but the tigers came a little later.

Though the monastery has faced criticism and scrutiny about the tigers being drugged, those who manage the complex strongly refute this.

"Why can't we all live together.....after all, we all have the same blood.....and it's red," the abbot of the monastery, Pra Acharn Phoosit, pointed out.

On the frequently asked question of the tigers being drugged, the monastery's official response was: "No, they are not drugged. Tigers are nocturnal animals, so they sleep during the heat of the day. The tiger's eyes are better adapted to lower light levels than their prey. So, they can surprise their prey with greater ability in darkness. This means they are more active and hunt at night. Adult tigers are naturally lazier, whereas the cubs are more active and will play if it is not too hot."

The monastery management added: "A wild animal that has been sedated is more dangerous because they become disorientated by their surroundings and everything around them becomes a threat. This brings out their wild instincts and they are more likely to attack."

Monks at the monastery say that the big cats have been "hand-reared with compassion (by them)". The tigers get whole chicken, beef and dried cat food. The meat is cooked due to the Asian bird flu scare and so the tigers do not get the taste of blood and associate blood with food.

The Tiger Temple offers various programmes from morning to evening for visitors. The main programme begins at noon and ends around 4.30 pm - giving visitors ample time to be up-close and personal with the tigers.

Getting there:

* The Tiger Temple monastery is a day-trip from Bangkok. It is about 175 km from Bangkok and takes three hours by road (Car/Van).

* An Innova cab from Bangkok to Tiger Temple and back can cost 2,500-5,000 baht (for the whole day).

* Entry fee per person (adult or child) is 600 baht.

* Each activity inside costs an additional 1,000 baht per person per activity.

* Red, yellow and orange coloured clothes are no allowed as these can disturb the big cats.

* Attendants/Volunteers help get you near the tigers and also with photographs on your camera/mobile.

* Bangkok is connected by air to 10 Indian destinations, including the four mini metros.

Accommodation:

* A room in a five-star hotel in Bangkok costs between 3,500 and 4,000 baht.

Eating out:

* A buffet in a posh Bangkok hotel or restaurant around costs 800 baht.

* A dinner buffet Baiyoke Sky Hotel's 78th floor restaurant in Bangkok costs
850 baht.

* A two-hour boat ride in Bangkok and dinner on board costs around 1,400
baht.

Half the tourists in Nepal are from India

According to report released by the NTB Friday, a study, which it has undertaken on a daily basis throughout the year 2012, found that at least 694,136 Indian tourists visited Nepal in 2012 and 528,321 of them entered Nepal through eight border points.

NTB estimates show Nepal received 1.33 million tourists in 2012, including Indian arrivals, through surface transport.

The survey, 'Indian Visitors to Nepal by Land 2012' reveals that a total of 152,710 vehicles entered Nepal through the surveyed border entry points or eight busiest entry points between the two countries.

The number of overland Indian visitors was 520,522 in 2010 and 298,821 in 2009.

The survey, the third of its kind, shows, among the eight border points, Belihiya and Bhairahawa saw the highest inflow of visitors, accounting for 48 percent of the total Indian arrivals, while arrivals from Vittamod and Kakarvitta accounted for 14 percent and 13 percent respectively.

NTB said figures from the Rani entry point in Biratnagar were excluded because of incomplete data.

The survey reveals that 152,710 vehicles entered Nepal through the surveyed border points. The highest number of buses (8,133) as well as the highest number of cars, jeeps or vans (15,882) entered from Belihiya. The highest number of motorcycles (27,275) entered from Vittamod and Janakpur entry points.

NTB said the survey considered only those Indian nationals who traveled by vehicles bearing Indian number plates. Indian visitors who traveled Nepal in other modes of transports such as rickshaw, tanga and even foot were not included in the study.

"Only vehicles which obtained permission to enter Nepal are included in the survey," an NTB statement said.

The figure is based on the assumption that a bus carries 32 passengers on an average, car and jeep five and motorbike one passenger.

As government statistics do not take into account Indian tourists entering Nepal by land, the objective of the survey was to estimate the number of Indian tourists visiting Nepal by surface transport.

Following is the entry point-wise break-up of tourists and vehicles: Bhairahawa (353,297 tourists / 37,646 vehicles); Vittamod (103,947/36,937); Kakarvitta (93,654/27,032); Birgunj (84,371/25,073); Nepalgunj (44,720/10,289); Mahendranagar (33,841/10,980); Dhangadhi (19,337/4,753) Biratnagar (8,386/2,498 in four months).

Virtues of eating with hands: A Kerala banana leaf experience

Why should one eat with one's hands? Eating food with your hands feeds not only the body but also the mind and the spirit

That is the Vedic wisdom behind Kerala's famous Banana Leaf Experience whose pleasure can only be appreciated fully, it is said, if one eats with hands and not fork and spoon.

Traditionally, Indians -- not just in Kerala -- have always eaten with their hands but the experience and its virtues have been elevated to a gastronomic art by the chefs at Vivanta by Taj Bekal, a picturesque 26-acre resort in the northern Kasaragod district of Kerala, flanked by the famous backwaters and the Lakshadweep Sea.

And to lend logic to the eating-by-hand experience for fussy foreigners, especially Westerners who would think twice before scooping up curry with their fingers, the maitre d'hotel lays before each guest at Latitude - the multi-cuisine restaurant with an accent on regional Kerala cuisine and a scenic view of serene waters and swaying palm fronds - captured pithily in printed paper the "Vedic wisdom behind eating with your hands".

"Our hands and feet are said to be the conduits of the five elements. The Ayurvedic texts teach that each finger is an extension of one of the five elements. The thumb is agni (fire) -- you might have seen children sucking their thumb, this is nature's way of aiding the digestion at an age when they are unable to chew; the forefinger is vayu (air), the middle finger is akash (ether -- the tiny intercellular spaces in the human body), the ring finger is prithvi (earth) and the little finger is jal (water)," the paper explains.

The 'banana leaf experience' has been redefined by the hotel from the traditional 'sadya', or banquet, in Malayalam, says Ashok Pillai, the executive sous chief.

Sadya is traditionally a vegetarian meal served on a banana leaf on special occasions, during weddings and other celebrations. All the dishes are served on the leaf and eaten with hands sans cutlery, the palm and fingers being cupped to form a ladle. A sadya can have about 24-28 dishes served as a single course and is usually served for lunch as it is quite heavy on the stomach. Preparations begin at dawn and the dishes are made before 10 in the morning on the day of the celebration.

"At Vivanta by Taj at Bekal we have given a twist to the experience by adding delectable preparation of fish or meats as per request," Samir Khanna, the affable general manager, told IANS during a recent trip.

The centerpiece of sadya is navara, a medicinal rice type, that is one of the native genetic resources of Kerala and famed for its use in Ayurveda. Navara is used as a nutritional rice and health food and is said to be therapeutic for conditions such as arthritis, paralysis, ulcers, urinary tract infections, neuralgic and neurological disorders.

For a novitiate to Kerala cuisine, the food does not stop coming, and the helpings are as much as you can ingest. Most people stop at the second helping and react in surprise when waiters with buckets of curry offer to ladle more on the leaf-plate.

Foreigners, after their initial cultural reservations about eating with their hands, awkwardly slurp and lap up the food, any messiness be damned. As a concession to non-vegetarians, karimeen or pearl spot, the local fish, is served fried or in curry form.

Since the "experience" requires some preparation, those guests who want to partake of it need to intimate the chef in advance and tables are laid out separately in the restaurant for those who are eating on the banana leaf.

A typical sadya menu:

Banana Chips

Jagerry Chips

Achar

Kerala Pappadom

Parippu Curry (Simmered lentils enhanced with ghee)

Pachadi (Preserved cucumber in Yoghurt)

Inchi Puli (An emulsion of tamarind, jaggery and ginger)

Kichadi (Coconut enriched gravy with pineapple)

Erissery (Mashed Pumpkins and red beans in coconut)

Kaalan (Raw banana cooked in mildly spiced coarse coconut)

Olan (White pumpkin simmered with beans in coconut milk)

Avial (Ethnic vegetable cooked dry with coarsely ground coconut and yoghurt)

Thoran (Any local vegetable cooked dry with coarsely ground coconut)

Kootu Curry (Assortment of vegetables and spices)

Sambhar (Stew of lentil and vegetables)

Pulissery (Tempered yoghurt with turmeric with curry leaf infusion)

Pachamoru (Spiced butter milk)

Banana

Payasam (Dessert with jaggery, coconut milk flavored with cardamom)

Andaman and Nicobar is surely waiting to be discovered with picturesque landscapes, sterling beaches and nature's generous gifts.

Endowed with picturesque landscapes, sterling beaches and nature's generous gifts, the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago has sadly failed to realise its full potential as a tourism hub for India due to infrastructural inadequacies, lack of free enterprise and the fear psychosis of natural calamities. The group of 572 emerald islands in the Bay of Bengal, out of which only 36 are inhabited, is surely waiting to be discovered.

With its exotic looking beaches and pristine islands having equally exotic names, wonderful opportunities for adventure sports like snorkeling and sea-walking and a vast succulent array of seafood delicacies that come cheaper than the vegetables brought from the mainland, the Andamans can compare with many other dream tourist destinations across the globe.

One can laze around the enticing beaches at Havelock Islands, or Ross and Smith - the twin islands joined by a bewitching sandbar. Sea-bathing and sun-basking at the Corbyn's Cove beach helps one to unwind and de-stress while the Hilltop Gallows on Viper Island and Port Blair's Cellular Jail are sure to overwhelm the visitors with a sense of patriotism as the clock ticks back to the days of India's freedom struggle.

Before the infamous Cellular Jail came up in 1906, Viper Island was the jail house for convicts and freedom fighters of 1857, many of whom were sent to the gallows at the hilltop. The now-dilapidated red building stands testimony to the unbearable tortures and hardships inflicted by the British on the freedom fighters.

But located in Zone V, the highest seismic zone, the islands are highly prone to quakes and frequent cyclones. The scars of the devastating 2004 Tsunami - which ravaged the economy and the population, with the unofficial death toll estimated at about 7,000 - are still fresh.

"Being prone to devastating cyclones, the people have developed a fear psychology. They opt for the safety of government jobs. We lack the free spirit of enterprise here. Industries are very small and the opportunities are therefore very limited," said the union territory's Lieutenant Governor, Lt. General (retd) A.K. Singh.

According to official estimates, the flow of tourists doubled to nearly 300,000 in 2012 from 130,000 in 2008-09. Less than 10 percent were foreign visitors, officials said. The tourism department however feels that the growth rate of even domestic tourists should have been much higher, considering attractions like the Radha Nagar beach - chosen as Asia's best in 2004.

"The tourist inflow has been growing, but not at the desired rate. The growth can be far more if we can improve the infrastructure, including connectivity and hospitality. Higher flight rates act as a hindrance," Andaman Tourism Department Director P. Viswakannan told this visiting IANS correspondent.

Other stakeholders squarely blamed the lack of infrastructure and civic maintenance, especially on the cleanliness front, the bane of Indian tourist spots.

"The region's infrastructural deficiency makes it entirely dependent on the mainland. We have so few educational institutions that people here are not adequately qualified," said Jesu Manick of the Strategic Urban Rural Advancement Backing Institute (SURABI), an NGO that imparts industrial and other training to people.

Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry president G Bhasker pointed to other shortcomings. "We have so much potential in the fishing sector but we are not making much progress. Electronic communication is poor, there is lack of power, and transport facilities are inadequate. Once these problems are sorted out, there won't be any dearth of enterprise," said Bhasker.

With its stress on eco-tourism and adventure tourism, the administration is involving self-help groups (SHGs) and ensuring increased private participation to better the infrastructure. The focus is on fisheries and tourism - the two sectors which form the backbone of the economy.

Viswakannan said the administration was working on creating more projects under the public-private partnership model.

"The administration has been working on developing the islands as a major tourism hub, but we also need increased private participation," he added.

Connectivity is another grey area. Despite its international tag, the Port Blair airport currently gets no overseas flights.

Work is on to develop night landing facilities and is expected to be completed within six months. The administration hopes the airport will at least get a few stopovers of international flights.

On the security front, a host of safety guidelines, including setting up SOS kiosks and an enforcement agency to ensure the safety of tourists, have been chalked out. The SOS kiosks will be set up at the jetties across the islands, while the enforcement agency comprising police and tourism department officials will ensure tour operators comply with the prescribed safety guidelines.

Election tourism is new a phenomenon which ringing in cash for India's tourism trade.

Election in the world's largest democracy is ringing in cash for India's tourism trade as tour operators and hoteliers are promoting the new theme-based holiday package.
"Election tourism is new a phenomenon which is fast gaining popularity. It is being marketed as an additional attraction to those who are already planning a trip or made their bookings for holidays in India," Sharat Dhall, president, Yatra.com, told IANS.
"As it is a major world event and international attention is focused on it, tourists have shown interest in extending their stay by adding major election battleground states and cities like Varanasi in their itinerary."
According to Dhall, the addition of a few extra days' stay can be managed within Rs.10,000-Rs.20,000 with high end facilities, and for as low as a couple of thousand rupees, to experience election season in places like Agra, Lucknow and Varanasi.
"Though election tourism is at a very initial stage it might generate additional revenue of two-five percentage points in revenue in this election."
Taking advantage of the election fever that has gripped the country, an Ahmedabad-based travel agency is offering ‘election tours’ — guided trips to various parts of the country, to take in the “color, noise, controversies and drama” — its website says — inherent in a vibrant democracy.
And cities in Tamil Nadu, including Udhagamandalam, Coimbatore and Chennai may make it to the list. “We began in 2012 with the Gujarat Assembly elections when we realized that many foreign tourists, especially researchers and students, were interested in getting a first-hand experience of elections in India. This time around, we got a lot of enquiries about south India, and decided to offer Tamil Nadu in our packages,” said Lav Sharma, marketing manager, Akshar Tours.
Ahmedabad-based firm Election Tourism India, which started to sell niche packages during Gujarat assembly polls in 2012, is expecting to attract around 2,000 foreigners to come for the 2014 general elections.
The package which is spread across seven days and six nights with a cost of $1,200 (Rs.75,000) without airfare, will take tourists to political rallies and show them local attractions at the same time.
"Nearly around 800 foreigners have confirmed their participation to come to India so far. They belong to Germany, France, the UK, Bahrain, Dubai, Egypt and China," Manish Sharma of Election Tourism India told IANS from Ahmedabad.
"We will be taking these tourists to political rallies, showing them how five-six lakh (500,000-600,000) people congregate in these places and how rallies are taken out in cities," Sharma said adding that his company has tied up with the BJP to showcase its rallies in Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi and Jaipur.
London-based firm Political Tours' director Nicholas Wood told IANS about increasing numbers of inquiries related to Indian elections and people's interests in travelling to India for this purpose.
"We'd love to cover the run up to the elections. We have covered the US elections; so this could definitely be an option in future. Like all our tours we try to provide a very real approach to people's everyday problems as well as high level political analysis," said Wood, whose company promotes theme tours like 'London and the financial crisis tours', 'Libya tour - after the revolution' and 'China tours: growth and change'.
Travel portals have also registered an upswing in bookings at election "hotspots". Though the bookings have not come through a special pre-set "poll tourism" package, the trend is attributed to the general elections. "We tracked year-on-year growth of around 12% in hotel bookings for Varanasi. The numbers have grown exponentially for bigger cities - hotel bookings in Lucknow grew by 60% year-on-year while Ahmedabad has witnessed 35% growth in the same period. The general elections will fuel travel demand with increase in rail, bus and flight-bookings; and hotels and guest-houses will see an increase in demand as well," says Mohit Gupta, chief business officer for holidays at MakeMyTrip.com.

Subhash Goyal, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators estimates an influx of about 25,000-30,000 international tourists, including journalists, in April and May. "This is usually the lean season," says Gupta, when asked about the usual influx of international tourists in these months. His own agency, Stic Travel Group, has booked tours for from Singapore and Malaysia, political science students from the US, and other groups of tourists from the UK and the Middle-East who are specifically visiting to watch the elections unfold.
Other tour operators also claim to have observed a trend which indicates higher enquiries for ticket bookings and accommodation in major cities around their respective polling dates.
"With two of the biggest political personalities contesting from Varanasi, supporters of both the parties are thronging to Varanasi to boost their candidates. We tracked year-on-year growth of around 12 percent in hotel bookings for the city," Mohit Gupta, told IANS
Gupta's views were corroborated by Pradeep Singh, a New Delhi-based guide who operates tours with international tourists from various nationalities from the national capital to Agra. "Tourists would earlier ask various questions on how to bargain in markets, or how to avoid beggars, cows and congested lanes. Now they seem to be more interested in knowing about election details, which shows that they are aware of the magnitude of things happening here," he said.
"Posters, bill boards, advertisements in newspapers seem to have grabbed tourist attention. They even want to collect election campaigning caps as souvenirs," said another who was accompanying a troupe of Korean tourists to Agra.

To the den of the one-horned rhinos

Unlike a tiger reserve where the sighting of India's national animal is often a matter of chance, a visit to this national park in Golaghat and Nagaon districts of this northeastern state is certain to offer more than a glimpse of the one-horned rhinoceros, dwelling in its natural habitat

Despite the elephant grass being at its tallest around this time of the year, one could spot as many as 34 of these odd-toed ungulates during the course of two jeep safaris and an elephant ride - some as near as a couple of metres away.

The best time for sighting, though, is March when the forest officials burn the grass to facilitate fresh growth, and the small watering holes dry up, forcing the animals to go to the larger reservoirs to quench their thirst. Big cats still remain elusive!

A World Heritage Site declared by Unesco, Kaziranga boasts a third of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses, even as it is also home to Asiatic Water Buffalos, Swamp Deer, elephants, gaur, sambar, wild boar and hog deer.

Park officials claim the park is also home to 86 tigers in its area of 430 sq km as per Census taken in 2000, making it a reserve with one of the largest densities of this big cat. But only a lucky few claim to have spotted one, including residents and regulars.

This apart the park also houses nine species of primates including the Assamese Macaque, Lutings, Golden Langur and the only ape found in India, the Hoolock Gibbon. It also has quite an array of birds, both resident and migratory.

As per an official notice board on the outskirts of the park, Kaziranga has 1,552 Great One-horned Rhinoceroses, 1,432 Asiatic Water Buffalos, 468 Eastern Swamp Deer, 1,048 Asiatic Elephants and 478 species of bird species.

Located to the south of the mighty Brahmaputra river, the park itself is divided into four ranges - Burapahar, Baguri, Central, and Eastern - which are headquartered at Ghorakati, Baguri, Kohora, and Agoratoli, respectively.

Among them the Kohora range is rich in birdlife, the Agartoli range promises glimpses of elephants and turtles, the Baguri Range has a fair concentration of the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceroses and the Burapahar Range offers good sightings of the apes.

Once one has settled in one of the numerous hotels, lodges and resorts, both the jeep safari and an elephant ride are must-dos. While a jeep safari covers a lot of distance, a ride on the pachyderm takes you to the interiors for a closer view of rhinos and other fauna.

Trekking and hiking are prohibited so as not to disturb the animals, but one can climb atop one of the several observation towers at Sohola, Mihimukh, Kathpara, Foliamari and Harmoti, for sightings. The park remains closed from mid-April to mid-October.

The rides at the park are also not too expensive. A jeep safari for some three hours can cost around Rs.2,000 per trip, while an hour-long elephant ride is for Rs.550 per head, inclusive of the park fee. Book an elephant ride in advance - they are much in demand.

Reaching Kaziranga is also not too difficult. The nearest airports are at Jorhat, around 100-km away, and at Guwahati, some 225-km away. While the nearest railhead is 40 km away at Jakhalabandha, the park is also well connected by road, along the National Highway.

Getting There:

* Kaziranga Nation Park is a 150-minute drive from Jorhat and 180-minute drive from Guwahati. Cabs cost around Rs.1,800 to Rs.2,500. Bus rides are available, too.

* The nearest airports are at Jorhat and Guwahati, 100 km and 225 km away, respectively.

* The park is on National Highway 37.

Accommodation:

* Double rooms and cottages in one of the several Assam Tourism-run properties around the park cost between Rs.1,500 and Rs.3,000 per night, while a stay in a private luxury resort can go up to around Rs.20,000 per night for two people with all amenities thrown in.

Eating out:

* Food is inexpensive and one has restaurants to pick, suiting every budget. In the Assam Tourism-run properties, a meal costs around Rs.400 for two people.

Source :: MSN TRAVEL

Top 10 trekking tracks around the world...

These 10 classic treks are for serious walkers. All of them require a sturdy pair of lungs, fit legs and a good amount of preparation. However, if you choose to go on any of these trails then you will be rewarded with experiences that last a lifetime. In no particular order:
1. GR20, France

Image by Jean-Baptiste Bellet

This demanding 15- day (168km, 104mi) slog through Corsica is legendary for the diversity of landscapes it traverses. There are forests, granite moonscapes, windswept craters, glacial lakes, torrents, peat bogs, maquis, snow-capped peaks, plains and névés (stretches of ice formed from snow). But it doesn’t come easy: the path is rocky and sometimes steep, and includes rickety bridges and slippery rock faces – all part of the fun. Created in 1972, the GR20 links Calenzana, in the Balagne, with Conca, north of Porto Vecchio.

2. Inca Trail, Peru

Image by funkz

This 33km (20mi) ancient trail was laid by the Incas and is currently traversed by thousands each year. The trail leads from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu winding its way up and down and around the mountains, taking three high passes en route. Views of white-tipped mountains and high cloud forest combine with the magic of walking from one cliff-hugging ruin to the next – understandably making this South America’s most famous trail.

3. Pays Dogon, Mali

Image by Crazy Joe Devola

‘The land of the Dogon people’ is one of Africa’s most breathtaking regions. A trek here can last anywhere between two and 10 days, and takes in the soaring cliffs of the Bandiagara escarpment inlaid with old abandoned cliff dwellings. Dogon villages dot the cliffs and are an extraordinary highlight of the journey. The Dogon are known for their masked stilt dancers, intricately carved doors and pueblo-like dwellings built into the side of the escarpment.

4. Everest Base Camp, Nepal
Reaching a height of 5,545m (18,193ft) at Kala Pattar, this three-week trek is extremely popular with those who want to be able to say, ‘I’ve been to the base of the world’s highest mountain’. The difficult trek passes undeniably spectacular scenery and is trafficked by Sherpa people of the Solu Khumbu. The heights reached during this trek are literally dizzying until you acclimatise to the altitude, and the continuous cutting across valleys certainly has its ups and downs.

Image by lampertron

5. Indian Himalayas, India

Image by Chandramohan Burly V

Fewer folk trek on the Indian side of the world’s greatest mountain range. So, if isolation’s your thing try trekking in Himachal Pradesh. Hardcore hikers can try teetering along the mountain tops for 24 days from Spiti to Ladakh. This extremely remote and challenging walk follows ancient trade routes. The bleak high-altitude desert terrain inspired Rudyard Kipling to exclaim, ‘Surely the gods live here; this is no place for men’.
Trekking & Mountaineering in Team Because of the vastness of the terrain and altitude difference, trekking trips can be undertaken the whole year round. Treks range from low altitude treks in winter to the crossing of high passes in summer when the snow line recedes. It is also possible to combine all three-river running, trekking and mountaineering. The conventional trekking periods preferred are mid-April to May-June before the monsoon and after the rains in the months of September - November.

6. Overland Track, Australia

Image by brewbooks

Tasmania’s prehistoriclooking wilderness is most accessible on the 80km (50mi, five- to six-day) Overland Track. Snaking its way between Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair (Australia’s deepest natural freshwater lake), the well-defined path (boardwalked in parts) passes craggy mountains, beautiful lakes and tarns, extensive forests and moorlands. Those who want more can take numerous side walks leading to waterfalls, valleys and still more summits including Mt Ossa (1,617m, 5,305ft) – Tassie’s highest.

7. Routeburn Track, New Zealand

Image by kiwinz

See the stunning subalpine scenery of New Zealand’s South Island surrounding this medium three-day (32km, 20mi) track. At the base of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, the track passes through two national parks: Fiordland and Mt Aspiring. Highlights include the views from Harris Saddle and atop Conical Hill – from where you can see waves breaking on the distant beach. The main challenge for this popular hike is actually securing a place among the limited numbers who are allowed on the track at any time.
It traverses the Southern Alps (Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) of New Zealand and passes through ice-carved valleys and beech forest. Walk alongside pristine rivers and glistening alpine lakes offering breathtaking views and mountain scenery.

8. The Narrows, USA

Image by Adam Belles

The Virgin River has carved a spectacular gorge in the upper reaches of Zion Canyon: 16 miles long, up to 2,000-feet deep, and at times only 20 to 30-feet wide. The Narrows, with its soaring walls, sandstone grottos, natural springs, and hanging gardens can be an unforgettable wilderness experience. However, it is not a hike to be underestimated.
Hiking The Narrows means hiking in the Virgin River. At least 60 percent of the hike is spent wading, walking, and sometimes swimming in the river. There is no maintained trail because the route is the river. The current is swift, the water is cold, and the rocks underfoot are slippery.
Flash flooding and hypothermia are constant dangers. Good planning, proper equipment, and sound judgment are essential for a safe and successful trip. Your safety is your responsibility.
A permit is required for the 16-mile top-down hike through The Narrows. A permit is not required for hiking The Narrows from the bottom up.




9. The Haute Route, France-Switzerland

Image by perry_maurice

This is a spectacular and demanding summer hike: a strenuous high-level traverse in the French and Swiss Alps, walking from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland in 10 to 12 days.
The route traverses below the summits of ten out of the twelve of the highest peaks in the Alps, and crosses several high passes. The highest pass is at 2964m (9,800ft).
This is a world of glaciers and towering, snow-capped peaks. The route also meanders through green alpine valleys with flower-covered meadows and picture-book villages. A trek of contrasts.
The route passes through the centre of both the French and Swiss Alps: two distinct cultural regions with different languages and architecture.
This is a remote trek. Take a tent or sleep in a mountain hut or a refuge. One or two nights could be spent in valley hotels to catch up on those hot showers.
Zermatt is probably one of the most beautiful alpine villages in the world. Nestled just beneath the famous East face of the Matterhorn, the village is at 1600m (5,250 ft). Cars are not allowed in the village so the air is always clean and the streets quiet.

10. Baltoro Glacier & K2, Pakistan

Image by mariachily

This corridor of ice leads to the colossal peak of K2 (8,611m, 28,251ft), the world’s second-highest peak. This incomparable trek traverses some of the most humbling scenery on the planet. What begins following icy rivers boldly goes to the guts of the glacier before leading to the granite pyramidal mountains including Paiju (6,610m, 21,686ft), Uli Biaho (6,417m, 21,053ft), Great Trango Tower (6,286m, 20,623ft) and ultimately K2. If the 15 days doesn’t floor you, take side trips to more moraine-covered glaciers.

Mountain Summits ::

Continent	Highest Mountain Summit	Second Highest Mountain Summit	Third Highest Mountain Summit
Africa	Kilimanjaro - Tanzania 5,895 (19,341 ft)	Mount Kenya - Kenya 5,199 (17,057 ft)	Mawenzi - Tanzania 5,149 m (16,893 ft)
Antarctica	Vinson Massif - Chile 4,897 (16,500 ft)	Mount Tyree - Chile 4,852 (15,919 ft)	Mount Shinn - Chile 4,661 m (15,292 ft)
Oceania	Carstensz Pyramid - Indonesia 4,884 (16,024 ft)	Julianatop - Indonesia 4,760 (15,617 ft)	Puncak Trikora - Indonesia 4,750 m (15,584 ft)
Asia	Everest - Nepal_China 8,848 (29,029 ft)	K2 Pakistan_China 8,611 (28,251 ft)	Kangchenjunga -Nepal_India 8,586 m (28,169 ft)
Europe	Elbrus - RussianFederation 5,642 (18,510 ft)	Dykh-Tau - RussianFederation 5,205 (17,076 ft)	Shkhara - Georgia 5,193 m (17,037 ft)
North America	Mount McKinley – USA(Alaska) 6,194 (20,320 ft)	Mount Logan - Canada 5,959 (19,550 ft)	Pico de Orizaba - Mexico 5,636 m (18,491 ft)
South America	Aconcagua - Argentina 6,962 (22,841 ft)	Ojos del Salado - Argentina-Chile 6,893 (22,614 ft)	Monte Pissis - Argentina 6,793 m (22,287 ft)

Himalayan Ranges ::

Image	Name	Elevation m	Country	Range	Parent Range	Continent
	Everest	8,848	Nepal-China	Mahalangur Himalayas	Himalayas	Asia
	K2	8,611	Pakistan-China	Karakoram	Himalayas	Asia
	Kangchenjunga	8,586	Nepal-India		Himalayas	Asia
	Lhotse	8,516	Nepal-China	Mahalangur Himalayas	Himalayas	Asia
	Makalu	8,463	Nepal-China	Mahalangur Himalayas	Himalayas	Asia
	Cho Oyu	8,201	Nepal-China	Mahalangur Himalayas	Himalayas	Asia
	Dhaulagiri	8,167	Nepal	Dhaulagiri Himalayas	Himalayas	Asia
	Manaslu	8,163	Nepal	Mansiri Himalayas	Himalayas	Asia
	Nanga Parbat	8,125	Pakistan		Himalayas	Asia
	Annapurna	8,091	Nepal		Himalayas	Asia
	Gasherbrum I	8,068	Pakistan-China	Karakoram	Himalayas	Asia
	Broad Peak	8,047	Pakistan-China	Karakoram	Himalayas	Asia
	Gasherbrum II	8,035	Pakistan-China	Karakoram	Himalayas	Asia
	Shishapangma	8,012	China	Jugal Himalayas	Himalayas	Asia

Article Source :: Lonely Planet